September 20, 2012 (Las Vegas, Nevada) – Both races of the 2012 edition of CrossVegas, America’s first UCI C1 ranked cyclocross event of the season, finished with a dominating show of force from riders who claimed their first ever CrossVegas victory. In the men’s race, it was reigning U.S. National Champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) riding away to victory out of a 5-man leading group, while in the women’s event, it was Dutchwoman Sanne Van Paassen (Rabobank-Giant), who sprung with half a lap to go to take a decisive victory.
Women’s Recap
Sanne Van Paassen had to overcome some of the best riders America could throw at her en route to her first ever CrossVegas win. Attacks and counter attacks came thick and fast, but did little to whittle down a large leading group that stayed together for much of the race.
Many of the biggest names in the States had a go early in the race to try and unseat Van Paassen. The first was Julie Krasniak (Rapha-Focus), who was on the gas immediately and took out Milagro Tequila Whole Shot Award.
The biggest mover of the race’s first half was Now And Novartis For MS’ Alison Powers, who put her considerable road power to good use as she strung out the field for the better part of the second lap. Many riders could not hold her pace, and, little by little, the number of riders left in the lead group dwindled.
On lap 4, Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team), fresh off of her bronze medal at the Olympic games in London, took her turn to attack, drawing out fellow Olympian Lea Davison (Specialized). At the Focus Stairs, Davison took a risk and stayed on her bike, electing to ride the obstacle rather than dismount and run. Riding the stairs gave her the advantage she was looking for, and soon enough, a few bike lengths became a few seconds, and the race’s first major escape had formed.
Behind, the chase was spearheaded by Gould, Amy Dombroski (Telenet Fidea), Gabriella Day (Rapha-Focus) and Kelli Emmett (Giant). By the time the leaders got the bell for the final lap, Davison still had 13 seconds in hand and looked like she could be on her way to victory.
It was Alison Powers who once again went to the head of the race to fire up the chase. Thanks to her efforts, the gap began to fall steadily. It looked, for a time, as if Davison may have stayed clear of the chasers, as she rode the stairs one last time and brought her lead back out slightly. Emmett, however, was on the scene and brought Davison’s excursion to a definitive end.
With just half a lap left to run, it was time for Van Paassen to unleash her final attack. Climbing her way up the Knog Hill, Van Paassen quickly put some space between herself and the chasers, and before long, the Rabobank-Giant rider was safely home and dry.
There were still medal placings to play for behind, as any of five riders could fill out the last two podium spots. The hero of the night’s main breakaway, Lea Davison, managed to find a reserve of energy to take out the sprint ahead of Powers, Day Emmett and Meredith Miller (Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized), with only six second separating first through sixth place.
Men’s Recap
To win the men’s race, Jeremy Powers took a page out of the book written just one hour earlier by Sanne Van Paassen and waited for the opportune moment to strike. And when he did, he did so with conviction.
The first few laps, as they always are at CrossVegas, were a nervous affair, as some of the world’s top riders spent time seeking out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It took two laps, but the first major attack came from Cannondale prepared by Cyclocrossworld.com debutante Ryan Trebon. Trebon launched a stinging attack climbing up the far side of the course and immediately put nearly ten second onto the chasing pack.
Giving him a hand was his teammate and former national champion Tim Johnson (Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com), who was busy covering attacks and making sure Trebon has some room to work with.
On the third lap, two chasers emerged from a larger group of about ten riders – Jonathan Page and Arnaud Jouffroy (Telenet Fidea) – who quickly gapped the chasing pack and set about getting across to Trebon. While they didn’t quite make it up to the front, they effectively eliminated Trebon’s advantage, and by the time Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) joined the move, Trebon was back into the fold.
The final selection for the men’s race came with five laps left to run as Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox Racing) went on the offensive. After reshuffling the chasing group, Kabush’s move was joined by Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement). The two worked well together for a time and the duo’s advantaged quickly went out beyond the 20 second mark.
It was then that Tim Johnson felt the time had come to get to the front of the race, and with four laps to go, put in a race-defining attack. Only Powers and Telenet Fidea’s Rob Peeters could hold Johnson’s pace, as the rest of the pack sat up, no one willing to take up the pace making.
Ahead, Berden began to ease away from Kabush, while Kabush looked content to wait for the chasing trio of Johnson, Powers and Peeters. Berden’s advantage had stretched to 40 seconds over the main chase group, but just 5 seconds ahead of the quartet fighting for second place.
As the leaders got the 3 laps to go signal, they had become a quintet, while Jouffroy was the only man keen on bringing back the leaders.
An unfortunately timed bobble by Peeters allowed Johnson and Powers to sneak away on the race’s penultimate lap, and it was quickly apparent that this race was going to be another chapter in one of American cyclocross’ most hotly contested rivalries. Johnson and Powers began to trade attacks and accelerations, both trying to see who would crack first.
Half way through lap seven, Powers finally found his advantage, and slowly but steadily began to pull away from Johnson. Behind, Berden had shed Kabush and had set to work consolidating the last spot on the podium.
Back in the chase group, last year’s winner, Lars Van der Haar (Rabobank – Giant) and Ryan Trebon were working their way back into podium contention. One by one, the duo overtook riders, eventually working their way up just shy of third place. In the end, Van der Haar got to within three seconds Berden’s of third place, finally finishing fourth, with Kabush in fifth and Trebon in sixth.
With one lap to go, Powers needed only ride a smooth, error free final lap and collect first CrossVegas victory. He did just that, finishing 19 seconds clear of Johnson.
Results
Elite Women
1. Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Giant Off – Road Team 0:44:10
2. Lea Davison (USA) Specialized 0:00:01
3. Alison Powers (USA) Now And Novartis For MS 0:00:02
4. Gabriella Day (Gbr) Rapha-Focus
5. Kelli Emmett (USA) Giant Bicycles 0:00:03
6. Meredith Miller (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized 0:00:06
7. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Béziers Méditerrané Cyclisme 0:00:24
8. Judy Freeman (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club 0:00:26
9. Amy Dombroski (USA) Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team 0:00:31
10. Mary McConneloug (USA) Team Kenda/Seven/Notubes 0:00:39
11. Georgia Gould (USA) Luna Pro Team 0:00:50
12. Teal Stetson-Lee (USA) Luna Pro Team 0:01:01
13. Courtenay McFadden (USA) Voler/Bicycle Centres 0:01:06
14. Julie Krasniak (Fra) Rapha-Focus
15. Mical Dyck (Can) Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team 0:01:33
16. Jessica Cutler (USA) Cyclocrossracing.com p/b Blue Compe USA 0:01:39
17. Elle Anderson (USA) Ladies First 0:02:06
18. Andrea Smith (USA) Ladies First 0:02:37
19. Robin Farina (USA) Uptown Cycles 0:02:38
20. Chloe Woodruff (USA) Crankbrothers Race Club 0:02:49
21. Nicole Duke (USA) Raleigh-Clement 0:03:20
22. Emily Thurston (USA) Team Rambuski Law 0:03:23
23. Kate Powlison (USA) The Service Course | World Bicycle Relief 0:03:24
24. Ellen Sherrill (USA) Bicycle Bluebook/HRS/Rock Lobster 0:03:30
25. Jean Ann Berkenpas (Can) Secret Cycles/Xprezo 0:03:50
26. Rebecca Gross (USA) KCCX 0:04:14
27. Carolin Schiff (Ger) Felt-SDG Factory Team 0:04:18
28. Lisa Hudson (USA) Feedback Sports 0:04:28
29. Rebecca Much (USA) The Service Course | World Bicycle Relief 0:05:18
30. Caroline Mani (Fra) Raleigh-Clement 0:05:26
31. Alexandra Burton (USA) Upper Echelon Fitness 0:05:27
32. Sydney Fox (USA) Summit Velo 0:05:29
33. Katie Arnold (USA) Bob’s Red Mill 0:05:39
34. Anna Dingman (USA) Real Wheels Bicycle Studio 0:05:45
35. Sonya Looney (USA) Team Super Awesome 0:06:09
36. Ellen Noble (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective 0:06:20
37. Linda Sone (USA) Crossniacs p/b Wesley Cycles 0:06:22
38. Cara Applegate (USA) Pepper Palace/Spin-Tech Training Pb A USA 0:07:12
39. Elizabeth So (USA) Les Petites Victoires 0:07:37
40. Shannon Gibson (USA) Stan’s NoTubes Elite Cyclocross Team 0:08:11
41. Suzanne Johnson (USA) Michelob Ultra Big Shark Racing 0:09:11
42. Sofia Gomez Villafane (Arg) 0:09:48
Elite Men
1. Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha-Focus 1:00:21
2. Timothy Johnson (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 0:00:19
3. Ben Berden (Bel) Raleigh-Clement 0:00:27
4. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank Giant Off – Road Team 0:00:30
5. Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing 0:00:32
6. Ryan Trebon (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld
7. Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) Telenet – Fidea 0:00:55
8. Jonathan Page (USA) 0:01:28
9. Lukas Flückiger (Sui) Trek World Racing 0:01:30
10. James Driscoll (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld 0:01:31
11. Zach McDonald (USA) Rapha-Focus 0:01:47
12. Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Giant Off – Road Team 0:01:56
13. Carl Decker (USA) Giant Bicycles 0:02:16
14. Yannick Eckmann (Ger) Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized
15. Brian Matter (USA) Gear Grinder / Clif Bar 0:02:17
16. Bradley White (USA) Moms in Tow Cyclocross
17. Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke-Shanks 0:02:57
18. Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet – Fidea 0:03:15
19. Travis Livermon (USA) Mock Orange Bikes
20. Jeremy Durrin (USA) JAM Fund / NCC 0:03:24
21. Justin Lindine (USA) Redline 0:03:31
22. Lukas Winterberg (Sui) Team Müller Gartengestaltung/BH Bikes 0:03:38
23. Troy Wells (USA) Team Clif Bar 0:03:45
24. Christian Helmig (Lux) Elbowz Racing p/b Trisport 0:04:02
25. Dylan McNicholas (USA) cyclocrossworld.com 0:04:04
26. Mitchell Hoke (USA) Team Clif Bar 0:04:08
27. Sean Babcock (USA) Kona 0:04:09
28. Jake Wells (USA) No Tubes Elite Cross Team 0:04:10
29. Tim Allen (USA) Feedback Sports
30. Spencer Paxson (USA) Kona 0:04:15
31. Cody Kaiser (USA) Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized 0:04:37
32. Steve Fisher (USA) Hagens Berman Pb Raleigh 0:05:03
33. Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block – SRI Importing 0:05:17
34. Christopher Jones (USA) Rapha-Focus 0:05:22
35. Robert Marion (USA) American Classic Pro Cyclocross Team
36. Adam Myerson (USA) Team SmartStop/Mountain Khakis
37. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale / iamtedking.com 0:05:33
38. Russell Finsterwald (USA) Trek Cyclocross Collective 0:05:39
39. Ken Benesh (USA) Feedback Sports 0:05:43
40. Jason Siegle (USA) SDG/Felt p/b IRT Wheels 0:05:57
41. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Bicycles 0:06:10
42. Ryan Knapp (USA) Pony Shop Cyclocross 0:06:19
43. Mark McConnell (Can) Synergy Racing 0:06:33
44. Keegan Swenson (USA) Cannondale Factory Racing 0:07:24
45. Grant Holicky (USA) Evol Elite Racing p/b Plains To Peaks
46. Scott Tietzel (USA) Evol Elite Racing p/b Plains To Peaks
47. Sid Taberlay (Aus) Kenda / H2O Overdrive
48. Joachim Parbo (Den) Hammel CK
49. Mitchell Kersting (USA) Bob’s Red Mill Cyclocross Team
50. Robin Eckmann (Ger) Cal Giant Berry Farms/Specialized
51. Chase Dickens (USA) American Classic Pro Cyclocross Team
52. William Iaia (USA) Groove Subaru-Alpha Bicycle
53. Bryan Fawley (USA) Dallas Bike Works
54. David Sheek (USA) SDG/Felt p/b IRT Wheels
55. Aaron Bradford (USA) Bicylebluebook/HRS/Rocklobster
56. Skyler Trujillo (USA) Boo Bikes
57. Ted Willard (USA) Brap Unlimited/DNA Cycling
58. Allan Rego (USA) Endurancewerx
59. Sergio Hernandez (USA) Groove Subaru-Alpha Bicycle
60. Jay Kwan (USA) The Team Socalcross